


Tilly

by sunnyamazing



Series: Baby "Spot" Montague-Budd [3]
Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, F/M, PM Montague
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:53:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21571111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyamazing/pseuds/sunnyamazing
Summary: Life for Julia, David and Baby Spot, now known to most as 'Tilly.'“Matilda Victoria Montague-Budd, meet Ella and Charlie, your big sister and brother.”
Relationships: David Budd/Julia Montague
Series: Baby "Spot" Montague-Budd [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1548067
Comments: 25
Kudos: 109





	1. Six Months - Part One

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who requested more of Baby Spot; this is for you!

_She can hear a soft voice murmuring; her eyelids feel heavy as she tries to open them. She wonders if she has ever felt this tired in her life, she shifts her legs beneath her and shuffles in the bed. Her eyes flicker, once, twice and then open. She adjusts to the lighting of the hospital and seeks out the familiar figure standing at the window._

_She can only see his back, he is wearing a pale blue coloured shirt and he is shuffling from side to side, she cannot make out anything of what he is saying, his voice is too quiet. But she knows who he is speaking to, their baby daughter._

_She hears a slight cry, before she hears David whisper “you’re okay, it’s okay, don’t wake your Mama.” She thinks about making her presence known to him but in the end decides not to. She simply sits and listens to him, she already knew he was an amazing father, she has after all seen him many times with Ella and Charlie but there was something new and even more captivating about seeing him with their child._

_She watches, mesmerised by the pair of them, she sees him move towards the alcove in the window ledge, he gently sits himself down and she closes her eyes again, not wanting him to stop his father and daughter time. She hears him begin to speak again and she opens her eyes, his long fingers brush across the top of their daughter’s forehead, before he leans down and places a soft kiss on the top of her head._

_His head then raises and his bright blue eyes meet Julia’s, “I know you’ve been watching us.” He tells her with a large smirk and a single raise of one of his eyebrows._

_Julia meets his stare and trades him back a single eyebrow raise, “how?” she questions with a yawn._

_“You’d stopped snoring.” David says with a laugh._

_“I do not snore.” Julia replies indignantly, she is quite offended by the insinuation. “I am the Prime Minister.”_

_“I know what you are love,” David replies as he stands from the window and begins to make his way over to her bedside, still cradling their daughter carefully. “But that still doesn’t mean you don’t snore.” He adds as he stops beside her and leans down to kiss her lips softly. She kisses him back before she then begins to shuffles to the side of the bed as best as she is able, making room for David to sit next to her and as she does so she holds out her arms towards him. David smiles and presses one last kiss to the forehead of the now sleeping infant and then places her gently in her mother’s arms._

_“Hello baby girl.” Julia whispers as she leans down and breathes in the top of her daughter’s head. The little girl opens her eyes for just a second, blinking and then closes her eyes again._

_David watches her, another smile on his face as he slowly sits down beside her. He leans into the side of his wife’s body as she presses herself up against him. “Baby Spot,” he says with a smile as she turns to look at him, “she’s here.”_

_Julia laughs and shakes her head, “that cannot be her name now.”_

_David pouts, “according to you, it’s never been her name.”_

_“I might have called her Spot once or twice.” Julia confesses._

_“I knew you did!” David exclaimed. “That night in your office, I knew I heard it.”_

_Julia laughs, “that could have been one of the times.”_

_“There was more than one?” David questions._

_“There may have been a few,” Julia admits, “but either way,” she says softly, “she cannot be called Spot now.”_

_David smiles as the baby wriggles in her sleep, she stretches out one of her long legs; clearly inherited from her mother and the pushes out her opposite fist towards him. He leans down and kisses her clenched fingers, “Tilly,” He says quietly. “Baby Tilly.”_

_Julia manages to reach for the back of her husband’s head, poking him with one of her fingers, “Mr Budd?” she questions as he turns his head to look at her. “I believe we agreed on Matilda Victoria Montague-Budd.”_

_“Aye,” David begins, “we did. But that is a very long name for such a tiny little girl.”_

_“David,” Julia protested, “we are not calling her Tilly."_

_Matilda stretches again, “I think she likes it,” David explains as he leans into Julia’s shoulder._

_“She’s five hours old,” Julia retorts, “she doesn’t know what she likes.”_

_“Well,” David begins, “she didn’t seem to like your snoring.” He tells his wife with a laugh._

_“You’d better not tell anyone about that.” Julia exclaims as David turns his head up to meet hers._

_“We won’t tell anyone,” David begins as he tilts his lips up to meet Julia’s, kissing her softly once again. “Will we Tilly?” he questions with a smile._

_“Matilda.” Julia replies back at him. “I will not be calling our daughter Tilly.”_

_David shakes his head, “that’s what you said about Spot.”_

_Julia rolls her eyes, “I’m still the Prime Minister.”_

_David nods, “I hadn’t forgotten. But you are the Prime Minister who snores.”_

She wakes before her alarm; a usual occurrence. Her eyes open and she turns her head to the side. Her eyes focus on the face lying beside her, she can just see him in the dim bedroom light. One lone curl dangles over one of his still closed eyes. She would reach out and tuck it back with the rest, but she doesn’t want to wake him. She lays there for a moment, watching him sleep. This has become part of her morning routine, she watches him as he breathes in and out, he seems to be most asleep earliest in the morning. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t still have nightmares from years before and all the things he has seen, but as time passes, his ability to sleep has improved and hers has too. Both of them talking about their feelings, about their experiences and the love they have for each other has helped.

The private residence is silent, she knows however a few floors down the rest of the house is a hubbub of early morning activity. Papers and documents will be being brought to her office for her perusal, financial markets will be being scrutinised and schedules will be being finalised.

She stares at David again as his nose wrinkles in his sleep, she is about to lean over to kiss him, when she hears the distinct gurgle of the other resident of the private residence. She carefully slips from their bed, wraps her gown around herself and then switches off her alarm clock. Sometimes she wonders why she still bothers with setting it anymore, she has a new one now anyway and like today sometimes she still wakes up before it.

Her new alarm clock is laying in her little bassinette, her room tucked off to one side of hers and David’s. It used to be a part of the wardrobe, but with some clever ingenuity it became the place their precious daughter sleeps.

“Shush shush little one, you’ll wake your Daddy,” Julia says with a whisper as she approaches the bassinette, looking down at the gurgling six-month-old. She leans down and kisses her on the top of her nose, “Good morning Matilda,” the little girl smiles and blinks her blue eyes at her mother. Julia slides her hands down and underneath her daughter, lifting her from the mattress and then tucking her into her arms.

They stop briefly to sneak a peek at David, but he still remains snoring softly. “Food?” Julia questions the infant in her arms and Matilda babbles, a nonsensical pattern of sounds, but to her mother it sounds like agreement.

The two of them quietly make their way from the bedroom; Julia’s bare feet tread the plush carpet carefully until they reach the kitchen. She smiles to herself, she may not have heard him, but Oliver has already visited once this morning, a new report lays waiting for her. It sits propped up beside her coffee mug and the rice cereal that she has been trying to encourage Matilda to eat, so far without success.

She places Matilda down into the high chair, fastening the straps around the little girls’ stomach before turning to the kitchen counter. A banana, a knife and a plastic plate remain where she left them last night, having prepared for her and Matilda’s early morning rendezvous before she’d gone to bed. She cuts the banana into tiny pieces as Matilda continues to babble, before she places the pieces onto the plate, sets the kettle to boil and then sets the plate down in front of her daughter.

Matilda stares at the food and then back up at her mother, Julia raises an eyebrow, “you ate banana yesterday,” she says as she prepares her coffee and two slices of toast and then sits down in the chair beside her, “you don’t like banana today?” Julia questions as Matilda continues to stare. Julia sighs, she has stared down some of the most powerful people in the world, without flinching, without backing down. But somehow this tiny girl, she can make her mother, who is not only her mother but the Prime Minister flinch.

Julia shrugs her shoulders and reaches out for the paper Oliver has left for her, she flips to the first page and then takes a sip of her coffee. Out of the corner of her eye Julia can see Matilda reach for a piece of banana, she half places it into her mouth and then squishes the rest between her fingers, Matilda then reaches out for her mother’s hair and before she can move fast enough Julia has a large glob of banana firmly entrenched near her ear.

Matilda holds out her banana covered hands towards her mother and babbles loudly, seemingly also interested in her mother’s breakfast. Julia sighs, “come on then,” she says as she lifts Matilda from the chair and places her in her lap. She shuffles the report away from the banana, but still close enough so she can read and she then hands another piece to Matilda who this time places the banana in her mouth and begins to chew as best as she can. Julia kisses the fine chestnut hair on the top of her daughter’s head as Matilda holds her hand out for more food. Julia smiles as she hands her another piece, the little girl had just wanted a hug as well as her breakfast. “So, Miss Matilda,” Julia begins as she flips to the next page of the report, “should we see what is new in the world while we were sleeping?” Matilda reaches out to hold the collar of Julia’s gown as Julia begins to read out loud. One day she will have to stop reading confidential documents to her daughter, but for now, these moments like this, well they are quite often the best part of her day.

Julia continues to read and Matilda continues to eat until she falls back to sleep in her mother’s arms. Julia holds her close to her chest and rocks her back and forth as she finishes her toast, the remaining banana and her coffee. Once her reading is done, Julia carefully rises from the table; and the sleeping infant and her mother return to the bedroom. Julia tucks her back into her bassinette and then watches her to make sure she falls back to sleep again.

Matilda does not stir and Julia leaves the room, headed for the bathroom. She removes her banana covered pyjamas and steps into the shower, making sure to double rinse her hair and when she emerges from the bathroom just over half an hour later, mother Julia Montague has disappeared for the time being and the Right Honourable Prime Minister Julia Montague has appeared instead, but not before she has one last peek at her still sleeping husband and their sleeping daughter who has now decided to sleep both upside down and sideways in her bassinette. 

She closes the bedroom door and begins to move towards the exit of the private residence, she stops quickly in the kitchen, drops her and Matilda’s dishes into the dishwasher and then leaves a note next to the kettle for David. She takes one last look around the private residence, listening out for Matilda, but there is still silence. She retrieves her report she had been reading to Matilda earlier and then strides towards where the private residence finishes and the rest of Number 10 begins. She runs a hand through the bottom of her hair and then pushes the door open, the guard beside the door smiles at her, “good morning Prime Minister,” he greets as she begins to step down the stairs.

“Morning William,” Julia replies as she meets Oliver’s eyes, he is waiting for her as always.

“Ma’am,” he begins with a smile, “we have two calls first thing this morning, before you are expected in chamber and then there are the matters to do with the budget. I also expect you’ll need to see the paperwork the Chancellor has been preparing?”

Julia nods, “good morning Oliver,” she replies as she moves towards her office, “yes, I will require all of the previously mentioned. I will also need to see the latest polling results, we cannot afford to become complacent.”

Oliver nods and follows, “how is the little one this morning?” he questions quietly with a smile on his face. This is part of their early morning routine now; he reminds her of all the tasks she has to complete for the day and then he asks her about Matilda. She turns to Oliver with a bright smile, her principal private secretary is more than just her colleague now, going into labour in front of someone would certainly change the way a relationship functioned.

_“Ma’am?” Oliver questions from his desk as he notices his ‘meant to be resting’ boss enter the office. “What are you doing down here? Shouldn’t you be in bed? With your feet up?”_

_Julia takes a deep breath as she shuffles from side to side, pressing one hand to the back of her now overdue to be born baby bump. She holds out one finger, “do not mention my feet.” She says menacingly, “I haven’t seen them for weeks.”_

_Oliver nods quickly, “okay, no speaking of feet. But shouldn’t you be upstairs?”_

_Julia shakes her head, “I want to know what he thinks he is doing.” She explains holding out a report with large black lines through half of the words. “Has he forgotten that his tenure in this office is temporary?”_

_“No ma’am, I am sure he hasn’t.” Oliver reports as he watches Julia cautiously, “you do know he isn’t here at the moment.”_

_Julia smirks, “that’s why I am,” she says a with a smile. “But if you see my husband, I was never here.”_

_Oliver nods, “where is he?” he questions, knowing that David has not left her side for the last two weeks straight._

_“I sent him and PS Baxter to the gym.” Julia says firmly and Oliver does not press, he is clever enough to realise by the tone of his boss’ voice that there must be more to that story. “I just needed a bit of breathing space.” Oliver nods as he watches Julia wince, “however, I am not sure if that was a good idea now.”_

_“Ma’am?” Oliver questions worriedly as he notices Julia wrap two arms around her stomach. “Are you okay?”_

_Julia attempts to nod, but her nod turns to a shake of her head. “I think …” she begins as her voice trails off, “I think the baby is coming.”_

“Banana this morning,” Julia explains to Oliver as they continue to walk down the long hallway. “You should sneak a visit to her today,” she adds, “While I am in chamber, she’d love to see her Uncle Oliver.” Oliver smiles again, Julia knows he loves being called uncle and after his calmness when her water had unexpectantly broken in front of him, it had seemed the least she could’ve done.

She had never known he’d been internally panicking, he’d been so calm. He’d helped her to sit, held her hand while he’d called for both the car and for David and then he had sat next to her as the car sped them to the hospital which they had reached in ten minutes flat.

David had been there as soon as she’d arrived, he had later revealed that PS Baxter may have broken a few speed records to get him there. At the time, Julia couldn’t have cared less, as long as he was there and not telling her that he knew as soon as he left her for just a moment something would happen.

She hadn’t seen Oliver again until the day after Matilda had been born and he still hadn’t revealed his panic until she’d returned from maternity leave and they’d been back in the same office. She had thanked him for his help, thanked him for his calmness and his face had paled and he had revealed his true feelings of the situation.

Yes, she’d always liked Oliver, but it was then that he’d become her friend as well as her employee.

“I’d love to see her.” Oliver mentions as the two of them reach the office. Julia nods and smiles, “your first call is in one hour.” Oliver adds, his demeanour changing from friend to private secretary.

Julia nods once more as she turns from Oliver and closes the office door behind her, she heads for her desk and sits down, the house is now a hive of activity, a new day of leading the country has commenced.


	2. Six Months - Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tilly and David time!  
> Thank you for your lovely responses!

He moves his hand over one of his eyes, brushing a loose grey curl away from his forehead. His eyes open and he squints slightly as light peeks through the side of the curtain. He reaches out for the other side of the bed, he finds nothing but cold sheets. His wife, she’s already up for the day. Certainly not an unusual occurrence, she is the Prime Minister after all. However, she didn’t wake him as she left, usually she does. He never leaves the house as early as she does but he does tend to get up so he can spend a few quiet moments with her before she goes about being one of the most powerful people in the world. He wrinkles his nose as he remembers today is Tuesday, a smile spreads across his face. He doesn’t work on Tuesday; this is why she left him sleeping. Tuesday is the day he spends with the littlest member his family - father-daughter Tuesday.

As if on cue, there is a cry from the small room off to the side, he climbs from his bed, reaching down to the floor for his discarded grey t-shirt. He slips it over his head and pulls the shirt down his chest. His feet pad the carpet as he moves quickly to the sound of his crying daughter. He stares down at her red face; her nose is scrunched up and she has made her fingers into fists. She is also upside down in her bed.

“Tilly,” he says softly as he reaches down for her, “I was here in less than a minute. How can you be so upset?” Matilda hiccups as she stops her crying and one of her hands reaches out for her father’s shirt, she clenches her fingers around the cotton and holds on as if she never wants to let her Dad go. David drops a kiss onto the top of her head as she begins to babble. He is pretty sure she is close to saying her first word and he has a feeling it could possibly be “Dada,” and if not that exact word it will be something to refer to him.

He thought she had gotten close the other day, he had come home to find her downstairs with Julia.

_He smiled at Oliver as he entered the office. Oliver nodded towards him and then returned to his typing. David wondered if he had ever known anyone who could type as fast as Oliver could. He had spoken to Julia on his way home and she had told him that she was still working. She had another speech to make to some visiting foreign dignitaries and as always, she wanted to make sure that every word was perfect._

_He stopped just outside the door and peered inside, he could see Julia standing, her back turned to him. Matilda was laying in the middle of the floor on the yellow cashmere blanket he had bought for her while Julia was pregnant. The small girl also held a stuffed rabbit in one of her hands. She was watching her mother closely. Julia was speaking, but her voice was too low for him to hear exactly what she was saying. David smiled, he was reminded of the night he had first thought he’d heard Julia call the baby bump ‘Spot.’ He watched as Matilda tilted her head to one side and began to wave her arms around._

_He heard Julia begin to laugh, “Well I don’t expect the idiots in my Cabinet to react like that little one,” she chuckled, “but if they’d like to, I wouldn’t mind Miss Matilda.” Julia added as she reached out to one side. David smiled to himself again and then reached down for his phone, he opened the camera and quickly took a photo of the scene in front of him._

_He cursed under his breath when he realised the camera had made a sound and then a flash and his wife was now staring at him with an amused grin on her face._

_“I thought the photographers were outside?” Julia questioned as David entered the office._

_He laughed as he made his way over to her, he held the phone out for her to see, “how could I resist taking a picture of this?”_

_Julia raised an eyebrow as she took in the photo, Matilda was gazing up at her and she had one hand stretched out from her side, gesturing carefully. “You’re right,” she whispered as David leant in to kiss her, pressing his soft lips to hers before he moved his attention to her neck and then behind her left earlobe. “This is a memory worth keeping. Do you think there has ever been another baby laying on this floor?”_

_David shook his head, “I think she’d be one of the first,” he replied as he continued his kissing, dropping his phone into his pocket and then slipping his hands underneath the back of Julia’s jacket; pulling her closer to him._

_She laughed before she pressed a hand to the top of his head. “You do know where we are right?”_

_David shrugged, “aye, I do. But it wouldn’t be the first time. Would it?” he smirked, staring at her carefully, as his fingers began to ghost along her back, searching for skin._

_“That was the middle of the night,” Julia retorted, her breath hitching slightly, “Oliver wasn’t just outside.” She wanted to curse him for how easily he could distract her._

_“I’m not the noisy one.” David replied as he watched her narrow her eyes. She swatted at one of his elbows as he began to chuckle._

_“You’ll pay for that Mr Budd.”_

_He continued to laugh as he slowly removed his hands from under her jacket, letting one finger graze along the bare skin he had just found. He felt her shiver slightly, “are you sure?” he questioned her. “I think I know my way around you by now.”_

_Julia smirked, “later,” she whispered and then moved one of her palms to press against David’s chest as she extricated herself from his arms. As much as she would have liked to have remained in his embrace, Oliver really was far too close for comfort._

_She leant down to the floor where Matilda had been eyeing her parents carefully. Julia slipped her arms underneath her daughter and lifted her and the plush rabbit up from the blanket and into her arms. “Your Dad is trouble Miss Matilda.”_

_Matilda laughed as she held one hand to her rabbit and then reached out for David, she babbled towards her father. Julia watched as he smiled at their daughter widely, “Tilly girl,” he beamed as they heard her babbles form an almost word._

_“David,” Julia exclaimed, “that almost sounded like a real word! It sounded like Dad!”_

Matilda distracts him now, bringing him from the memory of last week to the present. She pulls on his t-shirt again and reaches for his chin. He kisses her tiny fingers and begins to head for the kitchen. Neither Ella nor Charlie had said ‘Dad’ first, he had barely been around when they had both been this little. He had missed the first seven months of Ella’s life and while he had been home when Charlie was born; he’d left soon after the birth and hadn’t returned until the little boy was almost one.

This time it has been completely different, he has seen Matilda every single day and even though she does have a nanny (one of the best in Britain), she spends a large part of her time with himself or with Julia. Matilda knows who he is, she smiles for him. For Ella and Charlie, he was an invisible stranger, a father in name only. They hadn’t recognised him at this age, they didn’t know him, they’d only known Vicky and his ex-mother-in-law. He had expressed guilt about it a few weeks ago, first with his therapist and then later that same week with Vicky.

Julia, Matilda and himself had gone to Chequers for a long weekend and Vicky had brought Ella and Charlie to visit. Julia had been sitting cross legged on the floor beside Matilda, Ella and Charlie. The four of them were taking turns playing peek-a-boo, each of them delighting when the little girl laughed at them. 

He had been standing off to the side with Vicky, just watching the scene in front of them and he had felt the need to apologise for what kind of father and husband he had been back then and how he hadn’t been there when his other children were Tilly’s age. Vicky had simply smiled at him and patted his arm, whispering “you’re a good Dad, Dave.”

He hadn’t known what to reply to her, he’d half expected more of a comment about their marriage, he’d expected her to agree with him about how he hadn’t been there for their children. But she had simply turned to him and asked, “do you ever wonder how this became your life?”

He had laughed and confessed that he often did. People like him didn’t normally end up in the Prime Minister’s country house, let alone married to her.

He enters the kitchen just as Matilda reaches up for his face and swats at his nose with her open palm, he pretends to be startled, before he smiles down at her and she giggles back at him. He tickles Matilda as he places her down into her high chair, she shakes her head at her father and pouts, dropping her bottom lip.

“Tilly,” he begins as he clips her straps and hands her a plastic spoon to try to keep her entertained, he smiles as he watches her begin to hit the spoon against the top of the high chair. “Didn’t Mama feed you?” he asks as he moves towards the fridge in search of breakfast. Matilda does not answer, she just keeps hitting the spoon on the plastic. David shakes his head, Matilda has a mind of her own, even at her young age. She reminds him so much of her mother, determined and perhaps even a little stubborn. He knows he is in trouble for the future.

He collects the milk from the fridge and then turns to the kettle, switching it to boil. He cannot help but smile to himself as he reads the note Julia has left for him.

_Morning! I didn’t want to wake you, thought you might have been tired. M has eaten most of one banana. I’ll try and get away early to see E and C. Love you, J._

“Banana huh,” David questioned as he turned his attention back to Matilda. She had stopped hitting her spoon and was instead staring down at her fingers. “I see your Mama has left me the task of getting you to eat this then.” He joked as he opened the lid of the rice cereal, Matilda gurgled from her seat as she raised her head from her hands to look at her father. David begins to prepare the cereal and breakfast for himself, busying himself with the toaster, the kettle and then finally with the cutlery.

Ten minutes later, David has been as unsuccessful as Julia in achieving the goal of Matilda eating any of the cereal. He stares down at his hands, he thinks there is more cereal on him compared to how much she has eaten. He drops the spoon onto the table beside him, “the sooner you eat the sooner we can get ready for Charlie and Ella?” he questions, before he realises Matilda is still too small for parental bribery.

David watches her little face turn up into a smile which causes him to smile. The idea Matilda knows her brother and sister’s name now fills him with joy. “How about one spoonful?” he asks his daughter, holding out the spoon towards her. Matilda clamps her mouth shut and then begins to hit the high chair once again.

“What if Dad eats some?” he questions as Matilda lifts her eyes to meet his, she wrinkles the end of her nose and she watches as David drops the spoon into the bowl and fills it with the cereal. He raises the spoon to his lips and takes a small nibble of the mushy cereal. It isn’t as bad as he thought it would be, not the greatest food he’s ever tasted, but then he has eaten Army rations many times over the years. He swallows the mouthful and then turns back to his daughter. “See,” he exclaims, “delicious.”

Matilda does not open her mouth, she just begins to flail her arms around and laughs with her mouth still closed. “Tilly,” David responds with an exasperated sigh. “I give up.” He adds as he cuts the crust off of his toast and then cuts a smaller piece before using his fork to flatten the bread into a smaller piece. He hands the piece to Matilda, she stares at it carefully, “bread.” He tells her, “I know you eat bread.”

He watches as Matilda clenches the bread between her fingers, he prepares for her to throw the food at him, but instead she raises the bread to her lips, opening them slowly and then begins to chew. He laughs to himself as she then holds her hand out to him again; she is expecting more of his food. Once again, he cuts a smaller piece of bread from the larger slice and hands it to her, Matilda clenches the bread between her fingers once more, before she eats this piece.

David smiles as he reaches out for the remaining toast and begins to eat it himself. Matilda stares at him for a second and then recommences her banging on the high chair table, babbling and shuffling her bottom in her seat. David stands from his seat, “I guess we need more toast.” He grinned as he steps back in behind the counter and begins to prepare more food for himself and Matilda to share.

“Dad should have bought more bread,” he adds as two slices rise from the toaster.

He hears a knock from behind him and a voice interrupts, “Sir?” David smiles as he turns to where the noise has come from and he is taken back to another time when this same voice called him ‘Sir.’

_David has tears in his eyes as he leans down to kiss the top of Julia’s head. The delivery suite is empty of most of the previous occupants; the midwife and the nurses have left them on their own. Even the ever-present protection detail who guard his wife have left them alone for just a moment. The room has only three occupants now. Three of them, the three of them that make up the newly formed Montague-Budd family, Julia, himself and their only an hour old baby girl who is nuzzled into her mother’s chest._

_“I’m so proud of you love.” David whispers as he watches Julia run her fingers along their daughter’s legs all the way down to her toes. The infant is asleep, the top of her head is tucked in and under Julia’s chin. Julia has her other hand resting underneath their little daughter’s bottom. The midwife had only dressed her in a nappy before returning the baby girl to her delighted but somewhat overawed mother and father._

_David is sitting on one side of the bed, he has managed to tuck himself in beside his wife, he has one leg curled in and under himself and somehow has been able to avoid the bed rail. He has one hand resting on one of Julia’s legs and the other reaches out to pat one of her arms._

_“She has long legs.” Julia whispers back to him as she turns her head up towards David, “is she meant to have long legs?” she questions timidly as her eyes meet his, he can see they are filled with unshed tears._

_David smiles as he reaches out to brush a stray strand of hair from Julia’s face, “you have long legs.” He says reassuringly, “she’s like you. She takes after you.”_

_Julia wrinkles her nose and then blinks as a tear escapes one of her eyes, “are you sure?” she questions and she watches as David nods quickly._

_“Aye, of course. Babies look like their parents.” David promises as he runs his hand over the fine hair on top of their daughter’s head._

_Julia nods, “okay,” she says to herself as she turns her face down to drop a soft kiss on the head of her daughter. “I believe you.” She replies, her hand now patting her daughter’s back softly, “I just feel very confused.”_

_David raises an eyebrow and leans down to press his lips to hers, “you’ve just had a baby,” he begins as he reaches out to place his hand over hers, “you’re allowed to feel very confused.”_

_Julia nods again, “I can’t believe she’s here.”_

_“It is the last time I let you order me off to the gym.” David jokes as he shuffles in his sitting position._

_Julia smirks, “I’d had enough of your staring.”_

_“I’m staring now.”_

_Julia shrugs her shoulders, “I don’t seem to mind now.”_

_“You’re going to owe Oliver a pay rise.” David exclaims, his fingers gently running over the top of Julia’s._

_“Oliver!” Julia remembers, she remembers the plans that had been made for once her child had arrived into the world. It was always very important to her and David that they were the ones to announce the birth of their child. Some annoying journalist wasn’t going to ruin their moment. “The press release. It will have to be done.”_

_David chuckles to himself as he watches his wife balance being both a mother and the Prime Minister at the same time, for the first time. He observes how carefully she attempts to pull herself into a sitting position, delicately balancing the baby, still holding her close; she then runs one hand through the bottom of her hair. He reaches out to pat her on the shoulder, “I can go and see Oliver.” He explains, “will you both be okay?”_

_Julia nods, “we will be fine.” She reassures her husband, he’s only going as far as the corridor. She knows that is where Oliver has been waiting. Announcing her daughter’s arrival is important, even if for the moment she’s still Baby Montague-Budd and they will have to announce her name at a later time. But her name, Julia remembers, he cannot tell the British public their nickname for her, she’d never live that down! “As long as the press release doesn’t announce her name as Spot!”_

_David laughs, “No Spot, no name announcements yet.” He then leans down to kiss Julia once more, “I love you,” he says softly. “I love you both.”_

_“We love you too,” Julia murmurs into his lips; before he pulls away from her and begins to move. “Tell Oliver I am so grateful for his calm thinking today.”_

_David extricates himself from the bed lifting his leg over the bed rail, “I could do with longer legs myself.” He says as he manages to move into a standing position; he gently reaches out for Julia’s hand squeezing her fingers between his as their eyes meet. He gives one last squeeze and then reaches out for the baby, he gently runs his index finger down the bridge of his daughter’s nose. She blinks slowly but remains asleep, snuggled carefully in the comfort of Julia’s chest. Julia smiles widely at him and then relaxes back into the bed; beginning to run the palm of her hand up and down their daughter’s back once more._

_David watches them for a moment, mesmerised before he slowly steps from the room and out into the corridor. He smiles as Kim walks towards him, she throws her arms around him, “Congratulations Skip!” she exclaims._

_“Thank you,” David replies, it has been a long time since he was Kim’s skipper, however the nickname had stuck. “How long have you been here?” David questioned as Kim released him from her embrace and stepped backwards._

_“A few hours, they’d wanted us to sweep the floor again. I volunteered.” Kim responded. “So far there has been no trouble. Oliver and PS Baxter have been monitoring the news sites too, no mention of the principal or your daughter yet.”_

_David nodded, “that’s good,” he replied relieved. There had been all sorts of security agreements that had to have been made while Julia was pregnant. After all, it wasn’t common place for the Prime Minster to have a baby whilst in office, or even have a baby at all. David was reassured by the fact the protocols were holding at the moment. “Have you seen Oliver? Julia would like the statement to be released.” David questioned towards Kim._

_Kim nodded back, “the next room,” she answered, gesturing to the door just down from where they are standing._

_“Thanks Kim,” David begins, “you don’t think you could …”_

_“Of course.” Kim replies and before David could even finish his sentence, Kim has stepped away from him and she has entered the room where he left Julia and his daughter. He smiles, pleased; happy to know that if he is not with Julia then Kim is. She was, after all one of the first to discover their relationship; back when it was once a secret. He smirks to himself, he doesn’t know who had been more shocked, himself and Julia for finally being caught, or Kim for finding her skipper and her principal in a location where they shouldn’t have been and then alone. He shakes his head and begins to head towards where Kim told him Oliver was, but the young man has heard his voice and he meets him just inside the doorway._

_“Sir,” Oliver begins, “congratulations.” He adds with a nod and David nods back, before Oliver continues, “now sir, I have re-read the statement that the Prime Minister and I have been working on, we have made a few simple adjustments, but it reads as this sir.” Oliver explains as he holds out an iPad towards David._

_David takes the iPad and reads aloud carefully;_

**_“The Prime Minister’s Office would like to announce the safe arrival of a baby girl. The Right Honourable Julia Montague and daughter are resting comfortably. Her husband David Budd was present at the birth. They would like to thank you for your privacy at this special time. More information to follow.”_ **

_“Sir?” Oliver questions nervously as David completes his reading but doesn’t say anything next; he continues to stare at the screen._

_David raises his gaze to meet Oliver’s, his wife’s secretary looks unusually rattled, his face even seems to have a tinge of green about it._

_“The statement sir?” Oliver questions again. His voice is a bundle of nerves, the last few hours have really taken a toll on him and he was neither having the baby nor is the father of the child._

_David nods, “the statement is fine,” David reassures him as he hands the iPad back to Oliver. “It’s identical to the one Julia read to me last week? Other than the mention of the baby being a girl.”_

_“There is an extra full stop too.” Oliver replies quickly. “Do you think she will mind?”_

_David holds back a laugh, “You know you are most welcome to go and see her, check about the additional full stop and you are allowed to see the baby too.” Oliver shakes his head profusely, as David continues, “she wants to thank you for your calm presence today.”_

_“Calm?” Oliver squeaks, “I was certainly not calm sir.”_

_David’s head turns to the side and his brow furrows, “you declined a call from the President of France last week.”_

_Oliver smiles slightly, “that is nothing compared to your boss going into labour in front of you.”_

_“You had it all under control when I arrived,” David pointed out, remembering Oliver at his wife’s side as he saw her at the hospital for the first time. Oliver had been holding her hand and then holding his watch tightly in his other hand, timing Julia’s contractions. David had thought he he’d had it all under control._

_Oliver laughed mirthlessly, “I have never been more relieved to see you in my life, sir.”_

“Sorry to bother you sir,” Oliver calls as he steps into the kitchen, “the Prime Minister said I should come and visit you both this morning.”

David turns with a smile, “morning Oliver,” he acknowledges, “I hope you aren’t here for breakfast, someone seems to want all the bread for herself.”

“I can go and fetch you some sir.” Oliver answers as he stops beside the high chair and Matilda turns to look at the new adult in the room. David observes as recognition crosses his daughter’s face. Her nose wrinkles and she reaches out one of her hands for Oliver, babbling excitedly.

David shakes head, “Oliver, it’s David,” he replies, “you know you can give up on this sir business. I’ve only been reminding you for the last year or two.” He adds with a laugh. 

Oliver laughs, “force of habit s..” he begins, before he corrects himself, “force of habit David.”

“Better.” David replies as he watches Oliver take a seat beside Matilda, “look Tilly, Uncle Oliver has come to visit.” He explains to his daughter before he turns his attention back to preparing the toast.

Matilda wiggles her arms from side to side, “having more food Tilly?” Oliver questions the little girl, “your Mum said you’d eaten banana this morning.” Oliver continues as he looks down at the bowl on the table, he lifts the spoon in one hand, fills it with cereal and then offers it out to Matilda.

David looks up from his task of buttering the toast and watches the scene unfold in front of him, he watches as Matilda looks Oliver up and down and then moves to stare at the spoon.

“More?” Oliver asks as he holds the spoon out toward Matilda, he assumes that he has interrupted David and Matilda’s breakfast with his unannounced visit. Matilda gives Oliver a small smile and then happily opens her mouth and Oliver slips the cereal filled spoon into the gap between her lips. “Nice?” Oliver questions as he refills the spoon and offers the cereal to Matilda and she accepts another mouthful. “She must like it.” Oliver says with a smile as he turns his attention to David.

David has been watching Matilda and Oliver, he’d nearly warned the private secretary that convincing Matilda to eat the cereal was a task that he and Julia had both failed in completing; and on more than one occasion. He stares as Matilda accepts another mouthful and then reaches out for the spoon once again.

David shakes his head as Oliver asks about Matilda’s enjoyment of the cereal, he lifts the plate and then moves back to take a seat beside Oliver and opposite his daughter who is still eating. “We’ve never been able to convince her to eat it.” He states sarcastically, as he begins to eat another piece of toast.

“Tilly!” Oliver exclaims as the little girl eats another mouthful, the spoon scrapes the bottom of the bowl.

“Would you like to exchange jobs for the day?” David questions. “You know I could go downstairs, make a few phone calls and you could stay up here with this little monster.” David adds as he reaches out to tickle Matilda’s toes. Matilda laughs as Oliver feeds her one last mouthful.

Oliver shakes his head, “I would say yes,” he remarked, “however I have heard about your attitude to paperwork. Today is also the day where I have the most typing of reports to do.”

David chuckled and then shook his head. “Aye,” he began, “I’d better stay up here then. No chance I can type as fast as you can.”

Oliver nodded, “it is the time of the year,” he sighed, “every time I think I am on top of it all, another seven things land on my desk. At least I know she’s in chamber for the next few hours, it might give me the chance to catch up.”

David raised an eyebrow, “earlier than normal?” he questioned, he knew Julia didn’t always leave this early for Westminster.

“The budget.” Oliver replied quickly and David knew immediately and without further explanation as to the reasons for the early departure of his wife to the Houses of Parliament. “She has said she will do her best to come and see Charlie and Ella this afternoon.” Oliver added, before continuing, “speaking of which, we’ve confirmed for Tom to collect them just after lunch.”

“Thank you.” David answers, his two older children have an extra day off from school this week, they’d stayed with Vicky’s mother yesterday and then were to come to stay with the Montague-Budd’s this evening and then for the rest of the weekend.

“I’ll be sure to let you know once Tom has left.” Oliver responds as he stands from the table, patting Matilda on one of her hands, handing her back the empty spoon. “I’d better be getting back to work.”

David nods as Matilda begins to hit the spoon against the high chair once more. Oliver gives her a small wave and she begins to flail her arms around, seemingly unhappy that their visitor is leaving. David rises from his chair and quickly unclips her from the chair, scooping her up into his arms. She snuggles into her father’s neck. “Now Miss Tilly,” he begins, whispering into her head, “do you think your Mama will believe that you ate all that cereal for me?”

Matilda babbles and David answers her, “no, I don’t think she will either.” He kisses the top of her head, “we’d better get ready for the rest of the day then.”

Matilda babbles again as she grabs for a fistful of David’s t-shirt once more. David pats her softly on the back and the two of them leave the kitchen, the rest of this father-daughter Tuesday awaits them both.


	3. Six Months - Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi Dad,” the boy says quickly, raising one of his hands in a wave and then dropping his backpack to the floor, as he races past his father. David immediately knows where he is headed and tries to call out for his only son, but Charlie has tunnel vision and before David can stop him, the young boy squeals, “TILLY TILLS, CHARLIE IS HERE!”

David yawns as he steps from Matilda’s bedroom; his little daughter had been fighting sleep for the best part of an hour. But with this last check; he had finally found her curled up beside her stuffed rabbit, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling peacefully. He stares down at his watch, he expects Ella and Charlie to arrive soon. He had been notified of Tom’s imminent departure to collect them around twenty minutes ago. He moves around the house quickly, putting the dishes in the dishwasher, finding the book he had bought for Charlie a few days ago and then looking for the latest craft project Ella had been working on when she had been with him and Julia last. Eventually he finds all that he needs; Ella’s craft project tucked safely in a shoe box under the stairs and then he finally has a moment to sit down on the sofa, hopefully to have a few minutes of solitude before his older children arrive.

His phone flashes from the coffee table in front of him, he had sent Julia a text just after Oliver had achieved the impossible; Matilda eating her rice cereal.

_Oliver needs a pay increase._

He had told her, just after he had managed to wrangle their stubborn almost six-month-old into a change of clothes. He hadn’t expected an immediate reply, after all he had sent the message to her private phone; a phone number less than 10 people have knowledge of.

_Again?_

David smiles as he reads her reply, he can hear her voice questioning him with her one-word response. He begins to type back, wondering where she is and if she is sneaking glances at her phone when she is meant to be listening to someone important.

_Aye, he managed the impossible. Rice cereal eaten._

The little grey dots appeared almost instantly.

_I don’t know if I can factor into the budget a pay rise for my secretary because he convinced our daughter to eat her cereal._

David laughed as another message appeared.

_Besides, I told you she’d eat it eventually._

_Tell that to our kitchen floor. Tomorrow it is your turn again._

_I might be busy, you know running the country._

_You mean you just don’t want to argue with a tiny version of yourself._

_David, she can’t talk._

_I know. Wait until she can._

_Well, you can’t be arguing with her now if you can send me all these messages._

_No, she’s asleep. Finally._

_E and C there yet?_

_No, not yet. How is your day?_

_The usual._

David understands her code, the usual means that she will have things to tell him when she returns to see him in private. They still have to be careful with the messages they send one another; he could only imagine the media storm should private messages of the PM and her former bodyguard turned husband hit the national and international headlines. The pair of them still remember the moment when their relationship had been revealed the first time and then when she had decided she was going to run for PM and then most recently when she’d announced she was expecting a child.

Neither of them were keen to repeat that storm; therefore their messages and for the most part their phone calls were usually fairly nondescript, normally about Matilda and what she was doing, of course the press were always interested in their daughter, but the inner workings of the British government would be an entirely different prospect.

_Did you find E’s project? I think it was in the cupboard under the stairs._

_Did you put it there?_

_Of course. Didn’t want it to get lost. She has worked very hard on it._

_You know what it is meant to be?_

_It’s knitting David._

_That I do know. But what is it meant to be?_

_I don’t actually know. But she does. Later, love you._

David laughs to himself, he can see her rolling her eyes as she sends him that last text message. His daughter and Julia have become quite close and with the addition of Matilda; Ella often reminds him he is now outnumbered by women. He hasn’t complained though. He also recognises the final part of the message as her farewell for now. Her private phone will disappear into the confines of her handbag and he will talk to her as she suggested, later.

He drops his phone beside him and takes the chance to close his eyes, however no sooner as he does so, he hears the sound of the residence door opening and the clatter of Charlie charging through the door.

“Hi Dad,” the boy says quickly, raising one of his hands in a wave and then dropping his backpack to the floor, as he races past his father. David immediately knows where he is headed and tries to call out for his only son, but Charlie has tunnel vision and before David can stop him, the young boy squeals, “TILLY TILLS, CHARLIE IS HERE!”

David waits for crying, however there appears to be none and he assumes this means Matilda must have been awake. She’s slept for less than an hour; they are all in for an enjoyable rest of the day.

“Hi Dad.” Ella says brightly as she places her backpack down beside the table. She smiles at her father before she moves closer to him and greets him with a hug.

“Ella Bella.” David whispers as he drops a kiss onto the top of her head, seemingly a shorter distance each time he sees her.

“I told you Ella,” Charlie adds as he re-enters the room, Matilda in his arms. “I told you Tilly Tills would be awake and she’d be happy to see me.”

David shakes his head as Matilda does indeed look happy being held by her big brother. One of her little hands is gripping at the pocket of Charlie’s shirt and some of her hair is sticking up from the top of her head.

“Charlie,” Ella groans as she steps from David’s embrace, “her name is Matilda.” She corrects as she wanders over to her siblings and carefully fixes Matilda’s bed hair.

“Dad calls her Tilly.” Charlie pouted as he turned to look towards his father for back up.

“Dad also used to call her Spot.” Ella retorts. “And Dad doesn’t call her Tilly Tills.”

“No,” Charlie responds, “that’s just for me, she is my sister after all.” He adds as he tries to manoeuvre Matilda from one of his arms to the other.

“She’s my sister too.” Ella adds as Charlie carefully places Matilda down on the floor and then shakes both of his arms with gusto. “Tilly Tills,” he begins as he moves to sit beside her, “you eat too much, you’re much heavier to hug now.”

“Charlie!” Ella scolds.

“But she is!” Charlie protests, “when we first met her she was so tiny.”

_Matilda is in Julia’s arms, she is wrapped in a pale-yellow blanket, but has managed to sneak two of her fingers out of the swaddle. David stands beside the bed and then leans down to kiss the crown of Julia’s head, before he presses his lips to his daughter’s tiny fingers. Once he had returned from his meeting with Oliver, Kim had excused herself and the three of them had been left alone once more. The press release was to be communicated just as some special visitors arrived at the hospital to meet their new sibling. Ella and Charlie had been told Julia had gone into labour and Vicky had collected them from school early so they were able to meet their sister before the whole world knew of her arrival._

_It was most important for both David and Julia to be the ones to tell Ella and Charlie their new sister’s name, they would be privy to that information long before the general public._

_There is a soft knock from outside the room, it distracts David from his thoughts and both he and Julia turn their attention to the door._

_“Ma’am?” PS Baxter questions, “the little Daffodils are here.” He says with a smile, using the pseudonym the security service had given Ella and Charlie once Julia had assumed her role as the PM._

_Julia nods, “can you just give me one minute?” She questions as PS Baxter smiles and nods back in reply._

_David smiles as he can hear Charlie talking, he cannot quite hear what the young boy is saying, but from his tone, David can tell he is very excited. He watches as his wife kisses Matilda carefully before she turns to face him, “would you be able to take her?” she questions, “I’d like to be able to sit a bit better.” Julia adds as she shuffles carefully in the bed._

_“Of course.” David replies as he gently lifts Matilda from her arms, tucking her into his chest. “Are you alright?” he questions concernedly. “Y’know we could’ve waited a few more hours for our visitors.”_

_Julia shakes her head quickly, “I am fine,” she promises, as she slowly moves into a more comfortable sitting position. “And no,” she begins, “Matilda needs to meet her siblings as soon as possible.”_

_“I love you.” David replies as he sits down in the armchair beside the bed, he carefully watches Julia as she runs a hand through the bottom of her hair and then adjusts her position in the bed before turning back to smile at David._

_“I love you too.” Julia answers as the hospital door begins to open, PS Baxter’s face appears and Julia nods her approval for the visitors to enter._

_The door flies open and it is the face of Charlie they see first, as if his feet cannot move him to meet his baby sister fast enough. He bypasses Julia and ignores his father entirely as then he stops still in front of Matilda, peering at her carefully. “Hi,” he says brightly and maybe just a little_ too _loudly for a newborn baby, “I’m your brother Charlie and wow, you’re small.”_

_“She’s a baby.” Ella answers as she enters the room, her footsteps are far more measured and she does not bypass her stepmother at all. Ella makes a beeline for Julia and carefully reaches out to hug her, before reaching out to hold one of her hands. “Hi Jules.” Ella adds as she leans to kiss Julia’s cheek._

_“E.” Julia replies simply as she returns Ella’s kiss with a squeeze of her stepdaughter’s hand, before she lets her go and Ella heads over to her father as well._

_“Congratulations.” Vicky says as she is the last one who enters the now much noisier hospital room. Before she reminds her son, “Charlie, remember what we said about your indoor voice.”_

_“But Mum,” Charlie protests turning his head back towards his mother, “there’s a baby. My little sister.”_

_Vicky laughs, “I can see her, but there is also a Julia, maybe you’d like to say hello to her as well.”_

_Charlie wrinkles his nose, “oh yeah,” he exclaims before he moves his attention to Julia. “Hi Jules. Can I hold the baby?”_

_Julia smiles as she meets Vicky’s gaze. “Sorry,” Vicky mouths towards her, but Julia shakes her head. She understands the little boy’s exuberance and for a moment he reminds her of David._

_“Is anyone going to say hello to me?” David protests from his seat, “or does no one want to talk to their father anymore?”_

_“Hi Daaaaaaad.” Charlie exclaims, “can I hold the baby now?”_

_“I’m the oldest.” Ella says shaking her head, “I should hold her first, oh and hi Dad.” She adds as an afterthought._

_David shakes his head as he leans down towards Matilda, “well Tilly,” he begins, “looks like you’re the new favourite.”_

_“Tilly?” Ella questions turning to stare at Julia quickly before she looks back at her father, “is that her name?”_

_David laughs as Matilda begins to open her eyes and he gently turns the newborn around to face her siblings, “Matilda Victoria Montague-Budd, meet Ella and Charlie, your big sister and brother.”_

_Charlie shakes his head, “what’s the matter Charlie?” Julia asks concernedly._

_“That name is too long for someone so small.” He announces, “I am going to call her Tilly.”_

_Vicky laughs as she ruffles her son’s hair, “it is a beautiful name,” she adds with a smile._

_“Thank you,” Julia replies, meeting Vicky’s smile with one of her own._

_“Julia?” Charlie questions as he steps back towards Julia, leaning out to pat her hand carefully before his little fingers curl around hers, “can I hold Tilly now? Please? I’ll be very careful.”_

_Julia wrinkles her nose as she squeezes Charlie’s hand, she turns her attention to David and he smiles at her again. Both of them know of Charlie’s propensity to try and sneak things his mother and father will not allow him to do around Julia. She still remembers the time she let him eat six doughnuts just before bed, Ella and David had gone to the movies and Charlie had decided he preferred the idea of staying at home with Julia. There has been no doughnut eating in the house since._

_David stands carefully with Matilda still in his arms, he steps to one side of the armchair and then tilts his head towards the seat. “I think you’ll both fit.” He tells his older children with a wink, as the three adults then watch as Ella and Charlie clamber into the seat. The elder Budd siblings shuffle into position, jostling at each other as they do so._

_David leans down and kisses Matilda on the forehead before he steps closer to Ella and Charlie._

_“Now,” Vicky begins as she watches them all carefully, “remember what we talked about in the car. Two hands and no sudden movements.”_

_“Yes Mum.” Ella and Charlie answer in unison, before Charlie raises an eyebrow and questions, “who is holding her first Dad?”_

_David shakes his head, “you are both holding her at the same time.” He responds as his children look at him puzzledly. “Ella,” he begins, “tuck yourself up there next to Charlie.”_

_David smiles as Ella and Charlie stare up at him expectantly; they both hold out their arms and he carefully places the sleeping Matilda in her siblings waiting arms. David feels an overwhelming sense of pride as he watches how cautiously Ella and Charlie hold their baby sister. Each of them smile widely, staring down at Matilda._

_“Hi Tilly,” Charlie whispers, “you really are very little.”_

David smiles as all three of his children stare at him, they expect him to say something, but he finds himself still lost in the memory of the first time the three of them met. There is a photo of the moment, Vicky snapped a photo on her phone, Ella and Charlie didn’t even realise she had taken it. The pair of them only focused on their little sister. A copy of the photo now sits proudly on Julia’s desk downstairs, tucked next to one of him and Matilda from when she sat up for the first time. Both he and Matilda are staring at the camera, they are both sitting on the carpet and Matilda is holding her stuffed rabbit tightly.

“So Tilly,” Charlie begins as he realises his Dad isn’t paying attention, “I have a doughnut in my bag. Do you want some?”

Ella shakes her head and rolls her eyes, “Charlie, she can’t have a doughnut.”

David smirks as he reaches down to lift Matilda into his arms, “how about you have your doughnut Charlie and Tilly can have some yoghurt.”

Charlie ponders what his father has suggested before he shrugs his shoulders and then wanders into the kitchen. David watches his son, before he turns to kiss Ella on the cheek. “Your project is on the table,” he explains with a smile, “I’ll keep your brother out of the way.”

Ella laughs, “thanks Dad.” She replies as she reaches out to tickle one of Matilda’s toes. “Do you know what time Julia will be back?”

David shakes his head, “She didn’t say. Did you need her for anything important?”

Ella shakes her head and gives a little sigh, “it’s okay, I’ll text Mum.”

David nods, “I’ll be in the kitchen,” he replies as he watches Ella remove her phone from her pocket, before she sits down on the sofa and begins to type. Matilda begins to grizzle from his arms and he shuffles her up and down on his hip. “Come on you, you’d better come and be with your brother. He’s the one who wanted you awake!”

-x-x-x

She sighs frustratedly; the words on the page in front of her seem to make less sense than what they did in the chamber a few hours ago. The Chancellor had presented her with his outline for the forthcoming budget just after question time ended. He had stood beside her and described the pertinent facts, and as he was explaining she had glanced over the document. At the time, it had all seemed to be workable. Now she’s not so sure.

She runs one hand through the end of her hair and then taps a lone fingernail over the top of the report. She takes a moment to lift her eyes from the paper and stares out of the car window. She is on her way back from a meeting that had taken her to the other side of London. It had not been a part of her official schedule which Oliver had announced to her this morning, but it was important nonetheless. The car speeds past the city buildings quickly, occasionally she catches a glance of someone outside the window and every so often they stop to look at the parade of cars that her presence attracts.

She sighs again, daydreaming is not going to get this report in the order that it needs to be. She then reaches for her pencil and decisively strikes out an entire paragraph. If this doesn’t make sense to her, then how is it meant to make any sense to the British public. She spins the pencil around in two of her fingers, before she begins to rewrite what this particular document is meant to say, in language that the general public will understand. She has reworked six sentences when a voice from the front seat interrupts her train of thought.

“Prime Minister,” Kim says quietly from her seat, “we are almost there.”

Julia raises her head once more as the familiar surroundings come into her view. “Oh,” she says softly, “thank you PC Knowles. I was miles away.” Julia adds as she begins to collect her paperwork, shuffling the documents between her fingers and into the red ministerial box beside her.

The car slows as they approach 10 Downing Street, Julia stares up at the façade as Kim leaves the front seat and is then joined by another PPO from the backup vehicle. PS Baxter opens the car door and Julia climbs carefully from the back seat, taking a small intake of breath as she does, she always has to be ready for the onslaught of the questions from the press.

As soon as her heels touch the road below her, the questions commence.

_“Prime Minister, how is the baby? Where is she?”_

_“Prime Minister, Tilly’s six-month birthday is tomorrow. Any plans?”_

_“Prime Minister, when will we see her again?”_

_“Prime Minister, the forthcoming budget, any remarks to the concerns that more prohibitive measures will have to be accounted for?”_

She hears all of the questions, of course she does. But she does not answer. They wait for her expectantly, as if she will one day give them a response, but she never has and she never plans to. She keeps her face practically emotionless, other than a small smile which she gives to the many cameras. She cannot be seen as too unemotional, as too distant from her people. Because that does not work either, being the Prime Minister is a delicate balancing act of many tasks and being a mother _and_ the Prime Minister; well that adds a whole new level of scrutiny.

PC Knowles and PS Baxter escort her carefully to the front door; as the questions continue profusely, the door opens immediately and she slips inside the house. The two PPO’s follow her and PS Baxter bids her farewell as he steps into one of the side rooms, Kim however stays beside her. Julia sneaks a fleeting look toward where the private residence begins, however there is no sign of her family and as much as she wants to go and see them; there is still too much work to be done for the day. She had exchanged a few texts with David during her drive to her meeting, Matilda had been keeping him quite occupied for his day off and he was also busy preparing for Ella and Charlie’s visit late this afternoon.

She and Kim continue towards her private office, the two of them now alone and Julia takes her moment to speak to Kim privately, for she is one of the few people she trusts profusely. The two of them have become friends in the last few years. Kim has been there for her through many good times and even in the bad.

_Her head feels foggy, as if she’s half-awake but also half asleep. She doesn’t seem to feel quite right, she tries to take a deep breath but the smell of disinfectant permeates her nostrils. She panics a little, that smell, she doesn’t enjoy it, not anymore._

_Her eyes flicker open, “David?” she mumbles, her voice hoarse, her eyes search the room, but she cannot see him. Her panic increases, she tries to sit up, but she is struck by pain from her lower body. She reaches for her stomach, David, Matilda, was that all a dream? Were they just a dream?_

_This smell, the room, she’s back in hospital. The bombing, is she back there again? She feels her eyes prickle with tears, this can’t have been a dream? Can it?_

_A hand reaches out for hers, fingers clench over the top of her shaking hand. “Ma’am,” the soft voice whispers, “you’re okay.” Julia’s eyes turn to where the voice has come from and her eyes meet Kim’s, Julia manages to make a nod. “David,” Kim begins, “he’s just outside, the baby, she was crying quite loudly. He wanted you to sleep a little longer.”_

_Julia nods again, her panic slows, she’s okay, they are all okay, it hasn’t been all a dream, the baby, David, they are real, they are part of her life. She takes a deep breath as the tears begin to disappear, “it’s just hospitals, I don’t like them. Not anymore.”_

_Kim nods back as the PPO's other hand brushes over a small scar on her forehead. A sad smile appears on Kim’s lips, she squeezes Julia’s hand again, this time a little tighter, “I understand, I don’t either.”_

_Julia squeezes Kim’s hand back, “Tilly, ma’am, she’s beautiful.” Kim says changing the subject away from the awful day at St. Matthew’s and back to the little girl Kim had met the day before and then had just glimpsed from her extremely proud father’s arms._

_“Thank you,” Julia whispered as she felt her eyes flutter closed, “I suppose Tilly is better than Spot …”_

Julia and Kim step in unison as they reach the doorway to Oliver’s office. She stops just outside, Julia smiles before she lowers her voice and questions Kim carefully, “Kim,” she begins, “this whole six-month birthday, is this an actual thing?”

Kim shakes her head, “not that I know of. I’ve never been to one.”

Julia smirks. “They seem to like to try and slip me up on this whole motherhood thing.” Kim nods, as Julia continues, “also this whole ‘where is she?’ line of questioning, do they seem to think her father cannot look after her?”

Kim shakes her head back, “I wouldn’t let them worry you,” she says as she carefully reaches out to pat Julia’s hand, a sign of the friendship which has been carefully cultivated between the two of them over the years.

“One question about actual policy today.” Julia announces as the two of them now stop beside Oliver’s desk.

Oliver raises his eyes from the computer in front of him and smiles warmly. “One is better than none,” he replies with a smile, “who was it today?”

“I believe it was Barry Stephens,” Julia answers and then continues, “perhaps it might be a nice idea to invite him for a sit-down interview sometime soon. Especially with this budget coming.” Julia explains as she moves into her office, Kim and Oliver follow close behind her.

Julia places her ministerial box down on to the desk in front of her and then sits down. Before she returns her attention to the two standing in front of her. “I don’t know how he manages to spend so much time with the rest of them out there. Especially since he always seems to be standing next to the woman who is always asking about Matilda and when they are all going to see her again.” Oliver and Kim share a pointed look. “Something I am missing?” Julia questions puzzledly.

Oliver smiles. “Ma’am, you know they are married?”

Julia raises an eyebrow, “Barry and the one in the pink coat?”

Kim nods, “Lisa,” she adds, “they’ve been married for the last year.”

Julia wrinkles her nose, “they are married?” she questions incredulously before she continues on, “what would they even have to talk about? They are so different.” Oliver and Kim share another pointed look. Julia purses her lips. “Alright, I know what that look means. Perhaps I am not one to talk.”

Kim and Oliver just manage to restrain their laughter as Julia quickly changes the atmosphere in the office from friendship to professionalism. Kim and Oliver notice the change immediately, “I will see you later ma’am.” Kim says with a nod as she retreats from the office and out back into the corridor.

“There has been a message from the Chancellor of the Exchequer ma’am.” Oliver explains as he watches his boss remove her phone from her handbag and then her files from her ministerial box and place them in front of her. Julia raises her chin, her eyes meeting Oliver’s, as the secretary continues, “he wanted to know what you thought?”

“How long ago did he call?” Julia questions as she stares down again at the still nonsensical file.

“About twenty minutes ago.” Oliver replies quickly. “He said he would await your call.”

Julia shakes her head, “could you arrange for him to see me in an hour?” She questions, “this,” she adds, gesturing at the report in front of her, “needs much work.”

Oliver nods. “Certainly ma’am.” He says quickly as he begins to leave the room, “is there anything else you require?”

Julia shakes her head once more and Oliver leaves her to her solitude, she takes a quick glance towards the framed photos on her desk, from one frame, two pairs of bright blue eyes stare back at her and from the other she sees the faces of the three children she loves most in this world. She smiles and wonders what they are up to a few floors above her, for just a moment, she contemplates sneaking up to see them. She wonders if Ella and Charlie have arrived yet, she is looking forward to seeing the pair of them. Of all the roles she expected for herself in her life, stepmother was one she had never predicted, but just as he had in many other ways David had changed her expectations of life. She is about to rise from her seat and head upstairs, but then at the last moment she changes her mind. If she goes to see them, she would find it difficult to leave them all again and after all, there was still a country to be taken care of.


End file.
